Illuminated sign.



JTENTBD JULY l, 1905. P. MGDONLU.

LLUMNTBD SGN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31,1904.

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WITNESSES:

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llnlrl; Smarts Patented July' du, limiti.

lillllilt SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,948, dated July 4, 1905.

Application filed August S1, 1904. Serial No. 222.805.

To (1J/Z 'whom '/t 7114/4/ concern:

Be it lnown that l, Pn'rnn h/leDoNALin, a citik ren of the United States, residing at Harrison, in the county of lludson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Vlim )rovements in illuminated Signs' and l do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as wiili enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to illmninated desti- 4nation-signs for street-cars of the class rep* resented by the one shown in my prior applivcation for patent, filed March 29, 1904, Serial Aminated sign and in the arrangements and combinations of parts of the same, all sub-- stantiaily as will be hereinafter set forth, and linally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several iigures, .Figure l is a front elevation of a sign of my improved construction. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same on line fr, llig. il, and lliig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken upon line y, .llfigz Il.

lin said drawings, 2 9, Q, etc., indicate the units of my improved sign, each shown as representing` a single letter, although itis obvious that anything whatever might be displayed upon a unit. lllach unit comprises a back piece or plate and a front plate Ll, both having the letter or other symbol to be displayed cut therein so as to exactlj7 eomclde.

Between said back and front plates is placed a piece 17 of eclluloid or other material adapt ed to permit to some extent the passage of light, the plates being held together by means of screws 5. Futhermore, the back plate is provided at its margins with a rib 6, equal in thickness to the front plate et, and said front plate is sullieiently smaller than the back plate to lie within said rib 6.

Preferably each unit has at its lateral upright edges flanges 7, adapted to overlap on the correspondingl flanges of the adjacent units and prevent the passage of light through the ljoints between the units. itt its top and, bottom edges the back plate 3 has T-ribs it, and thus when several units have been placed together to form a sign top and bottom tubular connecting-rods 9, having longitudinal slots l0 at one side, are slid upon the upper and lower edges of the sign to hold said units together. The heads of the l""-shaped ribs Si, it will be understood, lic within the tubular rods 9 and their necks in the slots l() of said tubes. Preferably this construction is secured, as shown in the drawings, by longitudimzlly grooving the rib G adjacent to the edge of the units, so to reduce the thickness thereat and provide the second or marginal rib Soutsidc said groove. The Islot 10 of the comiecting`- rod then receives such reduced portions ofthe units, an edge of the tube lying in the grooves and the marginal ribs il of the units beinginclosed within the said tube or conneetinguod. For connecting the said tubes 9 at their ends, and thus completely surrounding the units by fastening means, end pieces ll are em ploved, each comprisinga liner linger-piece l2, adaptn ed to lie in the plane of the sign and extend across its end. lhe opposite edge ll of the end piece lll is arranged to overlap with the adjacent unit, and next to said edge is a rib ist, which simulates in appearance the top and bottom rods il. flu line with this rib and at the ends of the edge 13 of the end piece are projections or plugs l5, adapted to enter the ends oi the top and bottom tulmlar rods il and, receive fastening pins or screws 1G.

Any suitable means common in the art may be employed for supporting my imm-overl. sign.

Obviously by the construction herein described a sig'n can not only be made sectional, but, furthermore, my construction shown in the prior application above referred to can be extended to the making of large signs. Unless, however, a sectional construction is provided, as shown, the limit of casting the thin front and back plates would prevent anything but small sig'ns being made.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is l. In an illuminated sign, the combination of units each comprising front and back plates having coinciding' apertures of any desired design formed in themselves, a middle plate comprising' a single integral piece lying between said front and back plates and adapted to permit the passage ot' light through itself, screws passing' through the front and middle plates and screwing into the back plate to bind all three of said plates together and form a single sign while permitting' their ready separation for repairs or renewal of the middleplate, and means for holding said units together.

Q. In an illuminated sign, the combination of units each comprising correspondingly-apertured front and back plates one of which provides a lateral recess at its side next the other, a middle plate seated in Asaid recess between the front and back plates and adapted to permit the passage of light through itself, clamping-screws binding all three ot' said plates together to form a single sign while permitting their ready separation for repairs or renewal of the middle plate, and means for holding' said units together.

3. In an illuminated sign, the combination of units each comprising correspondingly-apertured plates one of which provides a lateral recess forming a seat for the other, a middle plate arranged in said recess between the Jfront and bach plates and adapted to permit the passage of light through itself, clamping-screws binding all three `of said plates together to form a single sign while permitting' their ready separation for repairs or renewal of the middle plate, and means for holding said units together.

4. In a sign, the combination with display units each being reduced in thickness near its edge to form a groove with a marginal rib beyond, of a tubular rod longitudinally slotted at its side to receive the said reduced portion of the units, the marginal ribs of the units being contained within the tubular rod and an edge of said tube at its slot lying in the groove of the units.

5. In an illuminated sign, the combination with an opaque supporting' part having translucent portions forming a design thereon, said supporting part having an enlargement or rib at its edge coeXtensive with said edge, of a tubular rod longitudinally slotted at its side and adapted to receive and inclose the said rib of the supporting part, whereby a light-tight joint is provided.

6. In an illuminated sign, the combination with a plurality of units each having an opaque supporting part with translucent portions forming a design thereon, said supporting part having an enlargement or rib at its edge coeXtensive with said edge, of a tubular rod longitudinally slotted at its side and adapted to receive and inclose the said rib oi the supporting part,l and an opaque end piece adapted to connect to the said rod and overlap the end unit, whereby a light-tight mounting of the units is secured.

7. In an illuminated sign, the combination with a plurality of units each having an opaque supporting part with translucent portions forming a design thereon, said supporting part having` at two of its opposite edges enlargements or ribs coextensive with said edges, of opposite tubular rods each slotted longitudinally at one side and adapted to receive and inclose the said ribs or enlargements of the units, and opaque end pieces adapted to overlap the end units and having at the opposite ends of such overlapping portions projections adapted to enter the tubular bore or passage or' the said rods, and means for preventing withdrawal of said projections from said rods.

8. In an illuminated sign, the combination of units each comprising an apertured back plate having a lateral recess in one face and iianges at its side edges, a middle plate adapted to permit the passage of light and a front plate apertured to correspond to the back plate, both said middle and front plates lying in said recess of the back plate and the langes of one unit overlapping those of the next adjacent units, and a frame holding said units together.

9. In a sign, the combination with units having T-ribs at two opposite edges, and tubular rods longitudinally slotted at one side to receive said ribs and inclose the heads thereof, of end pieces each having projections or plugs adapted to iit the tubular bore or passage of the said rods, and means for preventing' longitudinal withdrawal of said plugs or projections.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of August, 1904.

PETER MCDONALD. lVitnesses:

GHARLEs H. PELL, M. V. DoYLu.

IOO 

